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. 2017 Dec:65:4-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2017.09.018. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Detection of human parvovirus B19 in serum samples from children under 5 years of age with rash-fever illnesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tony Bokalanga Wawina  1 , Olivier Mbaya Tshiani  2 , Steve Mundeke Ahuka  3 , Elisabeth Simbu Pukuta  4 , Michel Ntetani Aloni  5 , Christopher Jacob Kasanga  6 , Jean-Jacques Tamfum Muyembe  3
Affiliations

Detection of human parvovirus B19 in serum samples from children under 5 years of age with rash-fever illnesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Tony Bokalanga Wawina et al. Int J Infect Dis. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Background: It has been demonstrated that infection with human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is associated with rash-fever illnesses. The present study aimed to investigate B19V as an aetiological agent of rash-fever syndromes in Congolese children confirmed as measles and rubella IgM-negative. An ELISA IgM test and PCR were performed to screen for B19V.

Methods: A total of 177 archived serum samples were randomly selected from the measles biobank of the National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB). Samples were investigated for anti-B19V IgM and B19V DNA. These samples originated from children <5years of age with measles-like rashes, previously confirmed as negative for both measles and rubella IgM.

Results: Out of 177 serum samples tested by ELISA and 168 tested by PCR, 109 were positive for B19V IgM antibodies (61.6%) and 87 (51.8%) were positive for B19V DNA. Positive samples in both assays were from all provinces of DRC.

Conclusions: B19V plays a role in rash-fever illnesses in children under 5 years of age suspected of having measles or rubella infections in DRC. As an aetiological cause of rash and fever syndromes, the present study demonstrates that B19V should also be considered during the laboratory investigation of rash-fever illnesses in DRC, particularly in the paediatric population. There is a need to conduct further studies in order to gain a better understanding of the spatiotemporal pattern of B19V and to define the genotype(s) of B19V circulating in DRC.

Keywords: Democratic Republic of the Congo; IgM antibody; Measles/rubella; Parvovirus B19; Rash–fever illnesses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Selection of serum samples. Based on a prevalence of parvovirus B19 IgG antibodies ranging from 10% to 35% in healthy children under 5 years of age, a total of 177 (33%) samples were randomly selected from archived sera at the national reference laboratory for measles.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Agarose gel electrophoresis of PCR showing the 200-bp DNA ladder (M), DNA samples (lanes 1–8), negative control (NC) and positive control (PC) for B19V DNA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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